DIGITAL STORYTELLING

"WE ARE OUR STORIES. WE COMPRESS YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, THOUGHT, AND EMOTION INTO A FEW

COMPACT NARRATIVES THAT WE CONVEY TO OTHERS AND TELL TO OURSELVES.“

- DANIEL PINK, A WHOLE NEW MIND

Wendy Smith, Media Specialist and Technology Coach

Brooklyn City Schools

Wendy.smith@brooklyn.k12.oh.us

What is Digital Storytelling

Digital Storytelling is the modern expression of the ancient art of storytelling. Digital stories derive their power through weaving images, music, video and voice together, thereby giving deep dimension and vivid color to characters, situations, and insights.

-adapted from Digital Storytelling Institute

What is a digital story (or narrative)?

A digital story is a 2-to-4 minute digital video clip, most often told in first person narrative, sometimes recorded with your own voice, illustrated mostly with still images, and with an optional music track to add emotional tone.

What is your story?

Everyone has a story to tell. Think of 3 life-changing events that happened to you.

What are your best stories? Let your students tell their stories. Let them create. Let them find their voice.

Why Digital Storytelling is Important

Helps develop visual and multimedia literacy. Provides students with a competitive and compelling voice. Helps students write more effectively. Encourages self-directed, self-motivated learning experiences. Teaches technology, information, and visual literacy. 21st

century skills. Engages our students in their learning. Learning taking place at the upper level of Bloom’s Taxonomy. Addresses Brooklyn Technology Learning Targets and Ohio’s

Technology Standards as well as the Common Core. Encourages cross-curricular learning. Finally…

Digital Storytelling Process

1. Write, then write some more.2. Storyboard3. Locate Resources4. Create5. Share

Biographies

Students can transform their written biographies into compelling digital documentaries that shows how the person's background influenced what they believed and how they acted as well as the personal qualities that helped this person succeed.

One example….

http://connectingbeachwoodtotheworld.weebly.com/1/category/storytelling/1.html

Autobiographies

Students can use a digital storytelling approach to share the story surrounding important events in their lives. Writing about the events in narrative forms helps students build skills in showing rather than telling a story, improving their writing ability.

Example

https://sites.google.com/site/digitalstorysite/sample-stories/student-story-samples

Docudramas

Developing docudramas requires not only extensive research but asks students to place themselves in a distant time or take on the role and view of a person with very different life experiences than their own, helping to make history come alive.

Science Concepts

We often think of science in terms of cold hard facts. While science does indeed deal with large amounts of data and information, transforming a scientific process into a story helps connect the process to the tangible realms of our own lives.

Example from 8th grade Science

News Broadcasts

Even if they don't watch the news, students are aware of the structure of a news program. After students have learned about a science concept, or culture in social studies, ask them to create a news broadcast that shares related events and stories.

Or have them create a Public Service Announcement on an issue they feel is relevant.

Transform the boring book report Have students create book trailers to

showcase the novel or book they read.

Storyboard

Method to plan out your story in two dimensions Time Interaction

Images, script, transitions, soundtrack

Each line takes about ten seconds to read

3-4 seconds is ideal length for images to appear

Storyboard template example

Locate Resources

Have students use their own their own photographs. Or use the advanced search option on Google.

Images Music

FlickrFlickrStormPics4LearningFlickrCCFree Stock Images

CC MixterFreeplaymusic.comFree Play Music Find Sounds Flash Kit

Soundtrack and narration

Lyrical vs. instrumental music

Audacity-installed on all computers in Brooklyn labs.

All laptops have built-in microphones.

Microphones are available upon request.

Create

Web 2.0 Tools Here are some easy to use Web 2.0 tools all of the sites listed below have both free and premium (paid)

versions.

Animoto.com - Add images and songs to create a music video.

Voicethread.com - Add images, video, and voice commentary from you or your students to build a collaborative story.

Zooburst.com - Digital storytelling tool that is designed to let anyone easily create their own customized 3D pop-up books.

Kerpoof.com - Create animated video stories, pictures and more. Includes timeline and multiple layers. Mostly supports an elementary audience.

Goanimate.com - Cut and paste Discovery Education images, clipart, songs and more into an animated cartoon story.

Xtranormal.com - A text-to-speech tool. Pick a scene, type in a script, add action and sound, and publish.

Edu.Glogster.com - Tool to create a non-linear story, PSA, or poster.

Imageloop.com - Upload images from computer or Flickr or other site and combine them with their animated templates.

Ourstory.com - Save stories, photos, and videos on a collaborative timeline.

Vuvox.com - Create interactive slideshows and presentations from photos, video and music from Flickr, Picasa Web Albums, or YouTube.

storybird.com is a collaborative storytelling tool. Students use collections of art to be inspired to write stories. One the art is chosen, students are able to build there story by dragging and dropping pictures and creating a story to match. It’s great for teachers because they’re able to easily create student accounts and assignments for students.

Showcase

Other Resources

http://www.schrockguide.net/digital-storytelling.html (Kathy Schrock’s website that has everything you need to know about digital storytelling and everything else.)

www.digitales.us (for assessing digital stories)

Another Storyboard template